Matrix-distributing mechanism.



R. M. GROVE.

MATRIX DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26, 1911.

3 SHEETSSEEET l.

WYM/ Patented 0013.7,1913.

R. My GROVE.

MATRIX DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM APPLICATION IF-IILED DEC. 2s, 1911.

Patented Got. 7, 1913.

4 WITIVESSE3: iWE EHTGH R. M. GROVE.

MATRIX DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.26,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVEA/TOR Afro/Mr RALPH M. GROVE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR .TO MERGENTHALER LING- TYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MATRIX-DISTRIBUTIN G MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 7. I 91 3.

-ToFaZZ w/zoin it may concern Be it known that I, RALPH M. GRoyn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident;

of theborough of. Brooklyn, county of Kings, and Stateof New York, have 111- vented a new and useful Improvement in Matrix-Distributing lllechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

I invention has reference to matrix distributing mechanism of the well known Mergenthaler type, represented in Letters lat 'ent of theUnited States-No. 436.531, and relates to improved means for stopping the action-ot' the parts in the event of a matrix being lodged in an improper position in the distributor. This distrilmter consists of a horizontal bar having longitudinal teeth on the lower V-shaped edge. adapted to engage and sustain matrices having in their upper ends a V-shaped notch with teeth to engage those of the dist ributer bar, along which the matrices are carried by means of three parallel screws; two of which engage the upper edges of the matrix, while the. third engages one of-the lower edges.

The teeth'ot' the distributor bar are permuted or varied in arrangement at dill'ereut PUl lltS in its length, and the teeth of the matrices representing the different charactors are varied in arrangement to correspond; so that each matrix suspended from the bar is carried along the same by the screws .nntil itarrives over its appropriate channel in the underlying magazine, whereupon all of the teeth of the matrix are re- -leased by the bar, so that the matrix may descend by gravity past the screws, toward the magazine.

In practice it occasionally happens that a descending matrix will fallout of position and lodge in the upper end of one of the magazine channels, or in a channel leading to the magazine, while still .in engagement with one'of the 'arrier screws. In such case the screw, acting against the matrix, tends to crowd the same sidewise against the side of the channel, with the etl'ect of bending integrity of the mechanism. 1

The object of my invention is to provide for the immediate stoppage of tliedistrihuter screws in such event.

To this end, it consists in providing one oi the wheels through which the distribtcr .-.--'l't\\'S are driven with a spiral slot or rotation of the screws is arrested by the acits motion independently for a slight distance, the oblique slot at such time causing the wheel to move laterally and, through suigible connections, trip the driving clutch out of action. n

The esseneeof the invention lies in the employment of a screw-driving llltllllltl' hav- .ing a limited independent rotation, and in utilizing this rotation. through suitable mechanism, to effect the stoppage of the distributer. 7 i 115 i In the drawings I have shown mythiprovement applied .to a Mergenthaler dis- 'tributing mechanism of the form now in commercial use. All parts of the machine not, shown may be of any ordinary or suitable construction.

Referring to the drawings: Figurel is a perspective view of one end of the distributing mechanism with the parts inoperative position. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation oft-he ame. -Figs. 3 and a are longitudinal sec- 'tions on the lines 3-3 and 4 -t respectively. F g. 5 is across section on the'line 5-5, Fig. 2, looking toward the left. crosssection on the line ti e, Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings A. represent surface, and mounting it so that when the Fig.4; is a portions of the framework B the horizontal.

dislributer bar, C, (I and C the synchronously operated parallel screws which engage the edges of the mater ms l). to carry them along the bar. 'lhy lower screw C, is v y I driven-by means ot a gcai' I). mounted on its 7 end and free to turn thereon toa limited (Xltlllhlllt lmb of this gear being provided \.'llll 2lll oblique or diagonal slot through which the driving pin is inserted into the screw, so that when the gear is .turnedon the screw it will be caused to shift laterally.

The gear E receives motion from the gear F, which is in turn driven by the gear (l. secured ton spindle H, Fig. 4;, mounted to turn in hearings on the frame. ()nthis spindle there is mounted lutist'l) a constantly driven belt pulley, mot-ion to the spindle and the gear .G, through friction clutch ,l consisting of a sleeve splined to the spindic ll that it may shift endwvise thereon, and provided with the t'riction snrl'ai'c j 'to bear :urainsl the side oi" the )ullev l. toward which it is ur ed hv,

:1 helical spring ii. The clutch J isprof l, which communicates vided, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, with an annular flange having on one side the inclined'or stepped surfaces 7' In the normal condition of the parts the clutch is in contact with the pulley as shown in Fig. 1, and the parts are all kept in motion. For the purpose of tripping the clutch out of action at the proper times I provide a rock shaft K, mounted on the main frame and carrying the arm 70, with a stud at its end, so that when the shaft is rocked to throw this stud into the path of the inclined faces on the clutch, one of the faces will engage against the stud, and thus the clutch w1ll be forced back laterally, out of contact with the pulley,

' as shown in Fi s. 2 and 4, so that the latter and all the fee screws will stop. A spiral spring M, is extended from an arm (shown in dotted lines) on the rock shaft to the main frame, and tends to throw the arm into operative position. It is held normally out of action, however, by the arm L, pivoted to the rock shaft, and abutting at one end against the stop N, as shown in Fig. 1, the spiral spring n, connected to the arm and mainframe, tending to hold the parts in this position. The opposite end of the arm L, provided with an antifriction pulley, lies adjacent to the face of the laterally movable gearE, before referred to, and by its pressure tends to hold this gear to the left.

Durin the normal operation the parts occupv t e relations shown in Fig. 1with the pin 6 at the rear end of the oblique slot.

If during the operation of the machine a falling matrix lodges in the mouth of a magazine channel, or against the thread of the lower screw C, as shown in Fig. 2, it will resist the rotation of the screw, and the gar E will turn forward around the latter.

uring this independent rotation of the gear the pin e and slot 6 will cause it to move laterally toward the right, and the gear, in

turn, will act on the arm L, disengaging its I forward end from the stop N, and thereby leaving the rock shaft K free to turn under the influence of the spring M; whereupon the arm is will engage the clutch and throw the same out of action in the manner already described, thus bringing. the distributing mechanism to a stop until the offending matrix is removed and the arm 7:: thrown outof en agement with the clutch by hand, the arm engaging automatically to hold it in this position.

While I prefer to employ the inclined slot and pin, and to use them in connection with the screw driving gear, it will be understood that any corresponding inclined surfaces may be employed between the driving gear or other driving member, the only requirement being that the driving member shall be capable o; t-rning independently of the screw against yielding resistance, and that this independent motion of the driving member shall be caused to effect the stoppage of the parts.

It is to be understood that the clutch mechanism may be of any suitable character. and that any suitable devices may be used between the driving member and the clutch, to control the latter.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a distributing mechanism, a feed screw fixed against end motion, a. driving gear connected to the screw to turn and move laterally thereon to a limited extent, and a stop device actuated by the lateral-motion of the gear.

2. The distributer screw, the driving gear mounted to move spirally in relation to the screw, a clutch controlling member actuated by the lateral movement of the gear, and a spring tending to resist the independent movement of the gear, whereby resistance to the rotation of the screw is caused to move the gear and trip the clutch.

3. The distributer screw and the'l'aterally movable gear connected thereto by the slot and pin, in combination with the driving clutch and the clutch-releasing devices actuated by the side motion of the gear.

4. In av distributing mechanism, a feed screw and driving connections therefor, said connections including two connected gears one arranged to rotate and move laterally in relation to the other, and a spring tending to resist said relative lateral movement.

5. In combination, the screw, the gear thereon, the spiral connection between said parts, the driving clutch connected with the gear, the rock shaft having the arm to throw the clutch out of action, the latch to hold the rock shaft, and spring connections tending to hold the parts in normal operative positions.

6. In a distributing mechanism of the class described, a feed screw, driving con-v nections therefor, including two rotary members, one arranged to rotate against a yielding resistance in relation to the other,; clutch controlled by the.in-

and a drivin dependent re ative rotation of said-rotary members.

7. In a typographical machine, the combination of a plurality of synchronously operated rotary distributing devices wi means connected thereto to arrest their ro-, tary movement when their rotary 'synchronism is interrupted.

8. In a typographical machine, the combi-.

t). In a t vpographi :11 machine. the combination of two rotatable distributing members, driving means therefor. and meelianism independent of the driving in tllls whereby the retardation of the rotary aetion of one arrests the rotation of the other of said members.

It). In a typographical maehine. the enmbination of a plurality of rotary distributing devices, means to operate them normally in avnchronism but arranged to be hitted out of their normal ItltlIlOllh'. and means connected to the distributing devices to arrest their rotary movement when their rotary avnehronism is interrupted.

It. .In a typographical machine. the (our bination ot a plurality of rotary distributing devices, means to operate thetn normally in synchronism but mounted to yield in the event of undue strain thereon. and meam connected to the distributin; tle \'ite.-e to arrest their rotary morement when their rotary synchronism is interrupted.

12. In a typofJraphieal machine. the combination with distributing mechani m cone prising. a pluralit ol" rotary members operating in definite relation to ea h other, of means for arresting their rotation vvhen such rotary relation is disturbed.

13. In a typographical machine. the cont bination of a pluralityof rotary distributing devices. with means associated therewith' to a rrest their rotary motion, said means beinginactive in the normal operation of the di.-tributin devices but adapted to be rendered aetire by the abnormal rotary operation ol said devices.

H. In a distributing meehanisim the, eombinatioi'i ot a"rotatahle teed screw, a drivin member therefor and movable indepeteleutl) thereof in a rotar direction, and a sti l) device actuated by the independent movement of said member.

If). In a distributing mechanism, the'eolnbination of a rotatable feed screw and (I1IV-: 

